Surviving the Psychological Effects of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Experience and Advice From One Patient to Another

By Jennifer Martin, Psy.D

Often times, patients are not prepared for the psychological issues that come along with a diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Most patients who are diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's Disease or ulcerative colitis), face depression and/or anxiety at some point during their disease course. They often feel isolated and alone, and feel like no one could understand what they are going through unless they themselves have the same illness.

This handbook is intended to address some of the psychological issues that may accompany a diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease as well as to give patients some coping strategies to enable them to live happy and successful lives with their illness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jennifer Martin, Psy.D
• Release date: Jul 30, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301360987

Jennifer Martin, Psy.D

I have been working in the mental health field since 2001 and have worked with a wide range of clients, including those experiencing depression, anxiety, trauma, grief and loss, chronic pain and domestic violence. Currently, I specialize in treating those individuals suffering from gastrointestinal diseases, chronic illness, and chronic pain. My passion for this specialty began when I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis that subsequently required four surgeries. I experienced first-hand the psychological difficulties associated with having a chronic illness. My focus is to help my clients learn how to cope effectively with the difficulties they are experiencing so that they are able to live happier, more successful lives.

Book preview

Surviving the Psychological Effects of Inflammatory Bowel Disease:

Experiences and Advice from One Patient to Another

Jennifer Martin, Psy.D

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2013 Jennifer Martin, Psy.D

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Table of Contents

Foreword

Part I: IBD Basics

Chapter 1. Overview of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Chapter 2. Symptoms and Causes of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Chapter 3. Treatment for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Part II: The Psychological Effects

Chapter 4. The Mind-Gut Connection

Chapter 5. Stress, Anxiety and Depression in Individuals with IBD

Chapter 6. Coping with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Chapter 7. Remember...You Have IBD, It Does Not Have You

Part III: Extras

Traveling with IBD

Food Log

Low-Residue Diet Guide

Sample Menu

Medication Log

Activities I Enjoy Worksheet

References

About the Author

Foreword

If you are reading this book, it is likely that you or someone you love has been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Inflammatory bowel disease is one of those silent diseases - diseases which are not often talked about, especially by those who suffer from them. When I began suffering from ulcerative colitis in 2007, I didn't want to talk about it either. When I started noticing blood in my stool I didn't know what to think. I was frightened but at the same time I was embarrassed. I prayed that it would pass and that I wouldn't have to speak of it. But it didn't pass and I had to tell someone. Even after I was diagnosed I didn't speak much of my illness to anyone, even my fiancé, who is now my husband. I hid many of my symptoms from him. I did this out of embarrassment and out of guilt because I didn't want to worry him. I found myself hiding or minimizing the pain I was in. I told my family I was fine when I wasn't. In the beginning I didn't tell my friends what was going on at all.

As a result of my silence and minimizing, I began to experience some psychological effects along with the physical effects of IBD. Because I wasn't talking about my illness I began to feel incredibly alone, like no one else understood what I was going through. These feelings of loneliness led to feelings of depression. I also felt anxious and embarrassed about my symptoms. At times I felt like I couldn't talk about what I was going through because it was just too embarrassing. Bloody diarrhea and the amount of times I was going to the bathroom per day isn't exactly coffee chatter, you know?

It wasn't until I was in the hospital before my J-pouch surgeries that I decided I didn't want to be silent anymore. At the time, I was at